National Vegetarian Week: Delicious recipes to try with no meat at all

National Vegetarian Week is taking place all over the UK from Monday May 16 to Sunday May 22, to promote all things veggie.

And whether you head to your favourite vegetarian restaurant, or cook something meat-free at home, there are plenty of delicious ways to get involved.

We've rounded up a list of tasty recipes below to get you started... Why not try one out tonight?

To find out more about the national week, head to the National Vegetarian Week website.

Tesco: Baked Sweet Potatoes with Kale, Feta, Chilli and Onion (serves four)

Ingredients

Four sweet potatoes, scrubbed

One tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for rubbing and drizzling

Two medium red onions, quartered

Half a lemon, juiced

150g of kale, chopped

One thumb-sized red chilli, sliced

Two garlic cloves, sliced

100g of feta, crumbled

Balsamic glaze, to serve

Wild rocket, to serve

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 200C. Pierce the potatoes and rub with oil. Arrange on a baking tray with the onions. Drizzle the onions with the lemon juice and one teaspoon of oil; season. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the onions and set aside. Continue cooking the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender.

2) Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Blanch the kale for two minutes, then drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.

3) Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Add the chilli and garlic and cook for one minute. Add the kale and stir-fry until warmed through. Season.

4) Cut the potatoes open and season. Top with the kale mixture, feta, onion and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Serve with rocket on the side.

Aldi: All-In-One Vegetarian Pasta Bake (serves four)

Ingredients

200g of whole wheat fusilli

1kg of frozen mixed vegetables (carrot, garden peas, green beans, sweet corn)

100g of vegetarian Italian style hard cheese, finely grated

100g of low fat cheddar cheese, grated

15g of butter

Two tablespoons of white flour

300ml of low fat milk

Half a teaspoon of salt

Black pepper

Low calorie spray oil (optional)

Method

1) Pre-heat your oven to 200C. Boil the pasta in a large pot in at least two litres of water.

2) While pasta is cooking melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the flour and stir, making sure the flour gets absorbed by the butter. Slowly pour the milk over flour and butter mixture, stirring constantly to create a smooth sauce. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper over and add half the Italian cheese and half the cheddar. Stir well and set aside.

3) When the pasta has been cooking for five minutes add the frozen vegetable mixture to the pot. Cook for a further seven minutes until pasta is cooked al dente. Drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot. Add the white sauce and mix. Spray oil into a baking dish and spoon the pasta mixture in it.

4) Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and place in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy.

Tesco: Vegetarian Cottage Pie (serves four)

Ingredients

Three tablespoons of olive or rapeseed oil

Two medium onions, chopped

Two large carrots (about 300g total weight), chopped into large dice

One celery stick, diced

Three garlic cloves, finely chopped

425-450ml of vegetable stock

400g can of cherry tomatoes

125g of chestnut mushrooms, chopped or quartered if small

125g of red lentils

One tablespoons of tomato purée

Half a teaspoon of dried oregano

Half a teaspoon of paprika

125g of spinach

1kg of floury potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper, peeled

25g of butter

Five tablespoons of milk

100g of grated mature red Leicester or mature cheddar

Three tablespoons of snipped chives

Method

1) Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions for 6-8 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Spoon in another 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the carrots, celery and garlic and fry for 4-5 minutes.

2) Tip in 425ml of the stock, the tomatoes, mushrooms, lentils, tomato purée, oregano and paprika, bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer gently, part covered with a lid, for 20-25 minutes (adding the rest of the stock if needed to cook the lentils) until the lentils and carrots are just cooked and the liquid is absorbed to give a thick, juicy sauce. (If cooked too long the lentils can break down and turn mushy.) If too much stock has been absorbed, stir in a splash more.

3) Meanwhile, put the spinach in a large heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over so the leaves wilt, then immediately drain in a colander and put under the cold tap. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can with your hands, then chop the spinach and stir it into the cooked lentil mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4) Chop the potatoes into 5-6cm chunks and cook in boiling water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200C, fan 180C. Drain the potatoes well in a colander and return to the pan to dry out briefly over a very low heat. Put in the butter and milk and mash until smooth and creamy.

5) Using a wooden spoon, beat in all but a handful of the cheese, the chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the lentil mix into 4 individual ovenproof dishes, about 600ml (or use one large dish). Spoon over the mash, spread it out and use a fork to make a rough pattern, then scatter over the rest of the cheese. (Pies can be chilled now for up to a day ahead.)

6) Place the dishes on a baking sheet, then bake for about 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the filling bubbly. (Or if made ahead and chilled overnight, bake as above allowing 40-45 minutes.)

Vegan Nachos (serves one)

Ingredients

For the Nachos

Two large flour tortillas

Half a tin of kidney beans

Two chopped spring onions

Half/quarter of an avocado

One large tomato

Half a lime

For the vegan cheese sauce

200ml of unsweetened, unflavoured almond milk

Five tablespoons of nutritional yeast

One tablespoon of vegan margarine

One tablespoon of plain flour

A pinch each of garlic powder, salt and pepper

Method

1) To make the "cheese", melt the margarine. Whisk together the flour and milk, then add it, along with the nutritional yeast to the margarine. Add the seasonings and whisk until it thickens up for five minutes.

2) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the tortillas into triangles and bake for a few minutes until crispy.

3) Layer all the ingredients up (mash the avocado and mix with a little lime before you put it on top) and serve.

Camembert Fondue (serves six)

Ingredients

One 250g Camembert

Small handful rosemary sprigs

Small handful thyme sprigs

One garlic clove, thinly sliced

One tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil

One tablespoon of clear honey

Stonebaked bread baton, sliced and toasted, to serve

Cornichons, to serve

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 180C. Remove the wax paper from the cheese and discard. Return the cheese to the box.

2) Score the rind with a sharp knife and push in the herbs and garlic. Drizzle with oil. Replace the box lid and put in an ovenproof dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until melted. Alternatively, double-wrap the cheese in kitchen foil and cook under a lidded barbecue for 15 minutes, or until melted.

3) Remove the lid and drizzle with the honey. Serve with the toasted bread for dipping and cornichons.